Paste-molding machine.



No. 807,107. PATENTED DEG. 12, 1905. G. CARLSON. PASTE MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APB.. 10, 1905.

No. 807,107. PATENTED DB0. 12, 1905.

G. CARLSON.

PASTE MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 23.10, 1905.

PATENTBD DB0. 12, 1905.

G. CARLSON. PASTE MGLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT onirica.

PASTE-MOLDING MACHINE.

No. sor/,101.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application led April 10, 1905. Serial No. 254,887.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GABRIEL CARLSON a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Paste-Molding Ma-` chines,of which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to confectionerymachinery, and specifically to a machine for filling molds with confections in paste form--as, for example, in the manufacture of blocks of chocolate-the object of the invention being to provide a machine for filling the molds under pressure, whereby the paste may be handled when containing a much smaller percentage of moisture than is possible when the molds are filled by hand, as is the general practice at present.

The use of the machine embodying this invention results in the formation of a more vdense cake or block and of more uniform and will be described in the course of the following specification, all being clearly pointed out in the claims forming a part thereof.

The construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan View of a machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3 beingasection through the feed-hopper on line 3 3, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, these views being on asmaller scale than those following. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through one of the molds on line 4 4 of Fig. 5, and it shows the mode of spring-supporting the table and also means of adjustment whereby molds of different widths may be employed in the same machine. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the yieldingly-supported table and means to adjust the same and show# ing the adjusting means for the mold shown in Fig. 4, the lower end of the feed-hopper being in section. Fig. 6 isa plan view of the under side of the machine, showing the adjusting means for the table and for the mold illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 In the drawings the general frame of the machine is indicated by a and, as seen in Fig. l, is of substantially rectangular form and is provided with a feed-hopper, which as a whole is indicated by b. This hopper for the sake of convenience is made in several parts, and it consists in two side walls c, between which is located a casing al for the feed-screw e. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 in its relation to the casing and the hopper.) The forward end of the casing d terminates in a cone f, as shown clearly in Fig. 5 and as shown in Fig. 1. This cone-shaped delivery end of the casing is flattened out transversely of the machine and extends entirely across the latter between the sides of the frame, and in cross-section, as shown in Fig. 5, the delivery-'slot'g is relatively narrow and is inclined in the direction of the movement of the molds as they pass through the machine. The upper wall of the casing is extended beyond the delivery-slot g, as at 72 Fig. 5, and the un der side thereof, with the under side of the coneshaped end of the casing d, constitutes a smooth bearing plate or surface j' for the upper surface of themolds, one of which (indicated by m) is shown in position under this bearing-surface in Fig. 5, being -held yieldingly thereagainst by the spring-supported table 0, which is practically coextensive with said bearing-surface. The molds move through the machine on suitable Ways or supportsp, (shown in Fig. 1,) being carried by means of a chaing, havinglugs 1' thereon which engage the ends of the molds, the latter being placed on the ways by an operative, and as these molds approach the edge of the table 0 they slide up the inclined edge s thereof (shown in Fig. 5) and are forced into the space' between the top of the table and the bearing-surface j, one mold following the other through the machine in this way. As soon as a 'mold enters this space between the bearing-surface j and the table each of the depressions thereof becomesv practically a closed cell, vfor the reason that the upper surface of the mold bears over its entire area against the surface j. These depressions pass under the delivery-slot g and receive the paste confection forced through said slot by the feed-screw c first in the forward ends of these depressions, which thus receive the thrust of the material in such a way that the movement of the mold through the machine is aided by the action of the feed-screw. These depressions as they ll up passing under the slot g IOO move on still in contact with the bearing-surfaces j beyond the slot g, the depressions in the molds of course being even full, as no more material passes through the slot g than is necessary to fill them. As the molds emerge from under this bearing-surface j the mateterial in the molds, released from the compression to which it has been subjected during the mold-fillingoperation, will expand slightly, thereby causing it to extend somewhat above the surface of the mold, this surplus material being removed by means of a scraper u, arranged to bear on the upper surface of the molds after they pass thereunder. This scraper is fitted with a long receptacle fw to receive the material scraped off of the top of the molds, and to insure the smooth action of this scraper means are provided to reciprocate it longitudinally by means of a crank fr, which is connected with a shaft y, .on which the scraper is supported, all of which is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The driving mechanism for this crank will be described farther on.

In handling material which is as dense and sticky as the chocolate paste which is handled by this machine it will not always of its own weight fall into and lill the feed-screwin such a way or with such certainty as to insure a continuous feed for the molds, and means are therefore provided herein to force the paste in the hopper into the open end of the casing (Z, which communicates with the bottom of the hopper, and into the space between the threads of the screw, and these means consist in providing the hopper with one movable wall 3, which is hinged at the point 4 and is swung on its axis toward and from the opposite wall of the hopper, this movable wall being, as shown in Fig. 3, made with a curved lower end whereby during its swinging movement it will work the paste in the hopper down against the exposed upper side of the screw e close to the open end of the casingd, thereby insuring an ample and sufficient supply of paste for the mold. This reciprocating movement of this movable wall3is effected by running a shaft 5 transversely of this wall and mounting thereon an arm 6, which by a link 7 is connected with said arm, as shown in Fig. 2, and on the end of this shaft beyond the side of the hopper is another crank-arm 8, to which a connecting-rod 9 is attached, which extends down toward a shaft 10, on which is a suitable cam whereby the shaft 5 may be oscillated by the movement of the machine, the two positions of the movable wall 3 being shown in Fig. 2.

The driving mechanism for the machine is as follows: The main driving-shaft is 12, on one end of which is asuitable driving-pulley, and on this shaft is a cone-pulley 13, which by means of a belt 14 rotates a second reversed cone 15 on the shaft 16. As is usual,

the belt 14 may be shifted in any suitable way to vary the speed of the shaft 16, which shaft, by means of suitable beveled gears 17, rotates the feed-screw e, which extends through the end wall of the hopper, the driving means being a chain 18. On the driving-shaft 12, as shown in Fig. 1, opposite to the end on which the driving-pulley is mounted, is a pinion 19, which meshes with the large gear 20 on the shaft 10. Close to this gear 20 on the shaft 10 is a smaller' gear 21, which meshes with a gear 22 above it, and fixed on the farther end of a shaft 23, which also extends transversely of the machine, is a small gear 24, which meshes with a gear 25, mounted on the shaft 26, which is one of the shafts over which the feed-chain q runs, the other being adjustably supported inthe extreme end of the frame and indicated by 27, these chains of course running over suitable sprockets on their respective shafts. Reciprocating movement is imparted to the scraper c by connecting the end of the shaft 30 on which the crank is secured by the driving-shaft 12 by two beveled gears 31, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Two important features of the invention are the meansfor adjusting the vertical pressure of the table 0, whereby the mold is held in yielding contact against the bearing-surface j', and means to adjust the side rails between which the molds move through the machine during the passage thereof under the delivery-opening j. These side rails are indicated by 33 and are shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, and as shown in the latter extend only along each side of the bearing-surface j, each rail being supported on two studs 34 parallel with the table in arms 35, which are located on and have a threaded engagement with two shafts 36 and 37, on which are the sprocket-wheels 38, over which the chain 39 runs, means, as a hand-wheel 40, being provided on one of said shafts (in this case the shaft 36) to rotatethis and the shaft 37 together. On one side of the machine the screw-threads with which the arms'35 engage are right-hand threads and on the opposite side left-hand threads with which similar arms engage and which are provided, as shown in the bottom plan View, Fig. 6, and in the top plan, Fig. 1, with arms 35 like those on the other side, supporting also studs 34, which enter the side rail on the opposite side of the machine. Thus the rotation of the hand-wheel 40 will simultaneously effect the adjustment of kthe side rails 33, one toward or from each other. The upper surface of these rails is in close contact with the bearing-surface j, and therefore as these rails are adjusted laterally of the machine to adapt the latter to receive molds of different widths the side rails will serve as a cut-off for the delivery-slot g and confine, the latter substantially to the length of opening necessary to extend across the mold.

The means to adjust the table 0 vertically IIO and to press the same yieldingly toward the bearing-surface j consist in locating under' each corner of the table spiral springs 41, which are supported on the end'of screwthreaded studs 42, carried in suitable bearings 43Min the frame, through which they may be screwed to increase or diminish the tension of the springs 41, and these studs 42 are rotated simultaneously by means of sprockets 44, fixed thereon, over which a chain 45 runs, a hand-wheel 46 being fixed on one of the studs 42, whereby they may all be simultaneously rotated, as described. By means of this vertical adjustment of the table and the yielding supports therefor it is possible to adapt the machineto work properly on the paste mixtures which it is designed to handle even though the latter may vary considerably` in density, as it frequently will, with atmospheric variations. It has likewise been pointed out that though the speed of the movement of the molds through the machine is constant the rotation of the feed-screw e may be varied as desired by the adjustment of the belt 14 on the cone-pulleys 13 and I5, whereby the delivery of the material through the opening g may be adjusted to a nicety, and taking into account the fact that the machine may be readily adjusted to receive molds of different widths it will be apparent that it is one of great utility, as work which heretofore, so far as I am aware, has only been successfully done by hand-labor can be performed better on this machine, the latter possessing the further advantage of doing the Work much faster and producing cakes or blocks of greater uniformity than has been possible with handwork. The blocks being -more dense are not as subject to breakage and chipping in transportation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, isi 1. In a machine for filling molds with confections in a plastic state, a hopper to receive the plastic material, there beingadelivery-slot i'n the hopper extending transversely of the machine, the under side of the hopper constituting a bearing-surface for molds to receive said material, means to move a mold through the machine in yielding contact with said bearing-surface, guide-rails for the sides of the molds, and means to force the material in the hopper through said delivery-slot into the molds.

2. In a machine for filling molds with confections in a plastic state, a hopper to receive the plastic material, there being a delivery-slot in the hopper extending transversely of the machine, the under side of the hopper constituting a bearing-surface for molds to receive said material, means to move a mold through the machine in adjustably-yielding contact with said bearing-surface,- guide-rails for the sides of the molds, and means to adjust said rails laterally, together with mechanism to Y force the material in the hopper throughsaid delivery-slot into the mold.

3. In a machine for filling molds with confections in a plastic state, a hopper to receive the plastic material, there being adelivery-slot in the hopper extending transversely of the machine, the under side of the hopper constituting a bearing-surface for molds to receive said material; a feedscrew located in said hopper in operative relation to said deliveryslot; means to move a mold through the machine in close contact with said bearing-surface, and means to vary the speed of movement of said molds relative to the speed of rotation of the feed-screw.

4. In a machine for filling molds with confections in a plastic state, a hopper to receive the plastic material, there being a delivery-slot in the hopper extending transversely of the machine, the under side of the hopper constituting a bearing-surface for molds to receive said material, a yieldingly-supported table beneath said bearing-surface, and means to press said table toward said surface, a feeding mechanism to move a mold through the machine between said table and said bearingsurface, and means. to force the material in theliopper through said delivery-slot into the mo 5. In a machine for filling molds with confections in a plastic state, a hopper to receive the plastic material, there being a delivery-slot in the hopper extending transversely of the machine, the under side of the hopper constituting a bearing-surface for molds to receive said material, means to move a mold through themachin'e in adjustably-yielding contact with said bearing-surface, guide-rails for the sides of the molds, adjusting means to simultaneously move said guide-rails transversely of the machine in opposite directions, together with a feed-screw located in said hopper in operative relation to said delivery-slot to force the material in the hopper through said slot into the mold.

6. In a machine for filling molds with confections in a plastic state, a hopper to receive the plastic material, there being a delivery-slot in the hopper extending transversely of themachine, the under side of the hopper constituting a bearing-surface for molds to receive said material; a feed-screw located in said hopper in operative relation to said delivery-slot; a table located beneath said bearing-surface to support molds in yielding contact with said surface, springs located at the corners of said table to support the latter, screw-threaded studs on which the springs are supported, and means to simultaneously rotate said studs to vary the tension of the springs, together with means to move a mold through the machine between the table and said bearing-surface.

7 In a machine for filling molds with confections in a plastic state, a hopper for said ma- IOO IOS

IIO

terial one Wall of which is movable toward and from the opposite Wall, and suitable mechanism to reciprocally actuate said movable Wall by the movement of the machine, said hopper being provided with a delivery-slot extending transversely of the machine, the under side of 'the hopper constituting arbearing-surface for molds to receive said material; means to move a mold through the machine in yielding contact with said bearing-surface, and guiderails for the sides of the mold.

8. In a machine for filling molds With confections in a plastic state, a hopper for said material one Wall of Which is movable toward and from the opposite Wall, and suitable mechanism to reciprocally actuate said movable wall by the movement of the machine, said hopper being provided With a delivery-slot extending transversely of the machine, the under side of the hopper constituting a bearing-surface for molds to receive said material; means to move-a mold through the machine in yielding contact with said bearing surface, and a scraper arranged to bear on the upper surface of the molds beyond said bearing-surface.

9. In a machine for filling molds with confections in a plastic state, a hopper for said material one Wall of Which is movable toward and from the opposite Wall and suitable mechan ism to reciprocally actuate said movable Wall by the movements of the machine, a feedscreW located in the hopper in proximity to the movable Wall of the latter, there being a delivery-slot in the hopper operatively located therein relative to said feed-screw, together with means to move a mold through the machine past said delivery-slot, the under side of said hopper constituting a bearing-surface for the mold, together with means to press the mold against said surface.

10. In a machine for filling molds With confections in a plastic state, a hopper, a feedscrew located in a casing communicating With the hopper, said casing being provided with adelivery-slot extending transversely of the machine, the under side of said casing and hopper constituting a Hat bearing-surface for the molds; a table beneath said nbearing-surface yieldingly pressed toward the latter, means to move a mold past the delivery-slot in said bearing-surface between the latter and the table.

GABRIEL CARLSON. Witnesses:

WM. H. CHAPIN, K. I. CLEMoNs. 

